This invention relates to high density printed circuit boards and their terminals, and associated connector assemblies.
Edge type connector assemblies are well known in the electronics field. A typical edge connector and printed board assembly is shown for example in Frank E. Cooney U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,803 titled, "Electrical Connectors", granted May 2, 1972 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention; and an edge type connector and printed circuit board assembly using two rows of terminals along one edge of the board and matching spring contacts is shown in L. Mayon et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,455, granted Dec. 8, 1964. Additional printed circuit board showings employing two rows of terminals are shown in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletins entitled, "Connector for Multilayer Circuit Package" by R. C. Miller, Vol. 15, No. 5, October 1972, pages 1614 and 1615; and "High Density Circuits Connector" by M. Jensen et al, Vol. 13, No. 6, November 1970.
It may be noted in passing that two of the last three cited references show inner and outer rows of terminals in which surface connections extend between the inner row of terminals to the outer row of terminals. This configuration necessarily increases the spacing between terminals of the inner row or makes for close printed circuit tolerances, or both.
Additional patents which are related to the disclosure of the present specification include the following:
U.s. pat. No. 3,015,083, entitled "Electrical Connectors", by Juris; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,328,749, entitled "Terminal", by Kukla; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,530,422, entitled "Connector and Method For Attaching Same to Printed Circuit Board", by Goodman; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,253,246, entitled "Printed Circuit Card Connector", by McConnell et al.; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,614,706, entitled "Ground Connector", by Kukla; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,671,917, entitled "Printer Circuit Board Connector", by Ammon et al.; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,673,548, entitled "Printed Circuit Board Connector", by Mattingly, J., et al.; PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,744,005, entitled "Zero Force Type Connector Block", by F. C. Sitzler;
French Pat. No. 1,475,962, by Labinal.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing background, one object of the present invention is to improve the construction of high density printed circuit boards, and associated edge connector assemblies.